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[Albion] Paul Barber to Saudi?



Commander

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Apr 28, 2004
13,074
London
If he’s married I bet his wife would be thrilled about this! Being a western woman in Saudi, however rich, is not that attractive is it?

Living in a gated compound is the norm isn’t it?
It's massively changing over there. It's funny how in the West we see Mohammed bin Salman as a journalist-murdering nutjob who stones homosexuals, but across the Middle East I think he is seen as a great reformer and moderniser. You can't go from a medieval type society to a modern progressive one overnight, it takes generations.

We can say whatever we want about the Saudis and how superior our great democracy is to them, but in 20-30 years I think they will be light years ahead of us as a society and place to live. It's already happening.

Anyone who thinks Barber is 'set for life' and wouldn't be tempted by the Saudi money is living in cloud cuckoo land. He's on less than half the money some of our players are on, and you can't tell me none of them would be tempted by it.
 




Kinky Gerbil

Im The Scatman
NSC Patron
Jul 16, 2003
58,022
hassocks
Jordan Henderson springs to mind. Supporter of stonewall and outspoken about regimes ahead of Qatar WC. Gets offered a huge wedge and he’s off to join them.
It was always just words and virtue signalling for some of these sponsors, players and media such as Neville when it came to the Middle East, if they truly meant it they wouldn't have gone to the World Cup.

The players backed down over an armband lol
 


Bozza

You can change this
Helpful Moderator
Jul 4, 2003
55,900
Back in Sussex
He has done a brilliant job initially at a championship club and has transformed our whole operation. He has undoubtedly had contact from many interested parties over his tenure probably offering significant pay increases to what we could afford yet he has stayed for over a decade. Why move?
Because he may view the job here as complete, or as complete as it's ever going to be. As you say, he came into a Championship club and took it all the way to European football. Maybe, he'll feel that the club is now finally bumping its head up against that glass ceiling that Gus Poyet spoke about 10 years ago, and a new challenge could prove tempting.

Let's not forget he previously gave up the Premier League for a relative footballing backwater.
 


dstanman

Well-known member
Jul 1, 2011
1,329
Can earn more money than he will ever need but will become just another CEO of a club. Always strikes me as a person who enjoys power and engaged, hence his roles with the FA and Premier League. Was expecting him to be aiming for a role with UEFA.
 


dwayne

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
15,169
London
Because he may view the job here as complete, or as complete as it's ever going to be. As you say, he came into a Championship club and took it all the way to European football. Maybe, he'll feel that the club is now finally bumping its head up against that glass ceiling that Gus Poyet spoke about 10 years ago, and a new challenge could prove tempting.

Let's not forget he previously gave up the Premier League for a relative footballing backwater.
Yep he will definitely go if he's offered the job. 100% I have no doubt.
 




Guinness Boy

Tofu eating wokerati
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Jul 23, 2003
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Up and Coming Sunny Portslade
I suspect he'll go if the money and project are right. I'd like to think morals will come in to it but they rarely do when we're considering a career and looking after our family.

Bloom will have a succession plan. Bristol Rovers fans might want to be worried if PBOBE leaves.
 


dwayne

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
15,169
London
It's massively changing over there. It's funny how in the West we see Mohammed bin Salman as a journalist-murdering nutjob who stones homosexuals, but across the Middle East I think he is seen as a great reformer and moderniser. You can't go from a medieval type society to a modern progressive one overnight, it takes generations.

We can say whatever we want about the Saudis and how superior our great democracy is to them, but in 20-30 years I think they will be light years ahead of us as a society and place to live. It's already happening.

Anyone who thinks Barber is 'set for life' and wouldn't be tempted by the Saudi money is living in cloud cuckoo land. He's on less than half the money some of our players are on, and you can't tell me none of them would be tempted by it.
Doubt they will be light years ahead of us as a place to live. I looked at the weather there and it's 46 every single day. What will it be in a few years 50+ every day during the summer?

That is unbearable. I wouldn't want to live inside for 4 months of the year.
 


Nobby Cybergoat

Well-known member
Jul 19, 2021
7,267
It's massively changing over there. It's funny how in the West we see Mohammed bin Salman as a journalist-murdering nutjob who stones homosexuals, but across the Middle East I think he is seen as a great reformer and moderniser. You can't go from a medieval type society to a modern progressive one overnight, it takes generations.

We can say whatever we want about the Saudis and how superior our great democracy is to them, but in 20-30 years I think they will be light years ahead of us as a society and place to live. It's already happening.

Anyone who thinks Barber is 'set for life' and wouldn't be tempted by the Saudi money is living in cloud cuckoo land. He's on less than half the money some of our players are on, and you can't tell me none of them would be tempted by it.
Isn't that because he is a journalist murdering nut job who stones homosexuals?
 






Nobby Cybergoat

Well-known member
Jul 19, 2021
7,267
I suspect he'll go if the money and project are right. I'd like to think morals will come in to it but they rarely do when we're considering a career and looking after our family.

Bloom will have a succession plan. Bristol Rovers fans might want to be worried if PBOBE leaves.
Maybe. That CEO fella at USG has been spoke about before as well
 


Thunder Bolt

Silly old bat
It's massively changing over there. It's funny how in the West we see Mohammed bin Salman as a journalist-murdering nutjob who stones homosexuals, but across the Middle East I think he is seen as a great reformer and moderniser. You can't go from a medieval type society to a modern progressive one overnight, it takes generations.

We can say whatever we want about the Saudis and how superior our great democracy is to them, but in 20-30 years I think they will be light years ahead of us as a society and place to live. It's already happening.

Anyone who thinks Barber is 'set for life' and wouldn't be tempted by the Saudi money is living in cloud cuckoo land. He's on less than half the money some of our players are on, and you can't tell me none of them would be tempted by it.
It may be light years ahead in 20 years time for men, but it won't be for women until they change their religion, and they see themselves as guardians of Mohammed's birthplace in Mecca.
 




Nobby Cybergoat

Well-known member
Jul 19, 2021
7,267
Can a man go from puritanically clamping down on bottle tops and flasks to excusing the bonesawing of Khashoggi? In just a few months? It's quite a leap.
 


Live by the sea

Well-known member
Oct 21, 2016
4,718
It's massively changing over there. It's funny how in the West we see Mohammed bin Salman as a journalist-murdering nutjob who stones homosexuals, but across the Middle East I think he is seen as a great reformer and moderniser. You can't go from a medieval type society to a modern progressive one overnight, it takes generations.

We can say whatever we want about the Saudis and how superior our great democracy is to them, but in 20-30 years I think they will be light years ahead of us as a society and place to live. It's already happening.

Anyone who thinks Barber is 'set for life' and wouldn't be tempted by the Saudi money is living in cloud cuckoo land. He's on less than half the money some of our players are on, and you can't tell me none of them would be tempted by it.
I think your comments about Saudi are wishful thinking . Yes there’s been some reform but coming from such a low ebb , their human rights will never be anywhere even close to Englands .

Our democracy may not be perfect but it’s light years ahead of the Saudi one.

If you bounce a cheque in Saudi and in fact also even in so called more moderate Dubai , you go to prison .

If you denounce Islam or get caught being a homosexual you can get your head chopped off . Yes that sounds like the type of progressive society you are telling about …

I’m not sure you correct about players on double PB salary either . I don’t think any are on £5m a year , maybe AL & Dunk .
 






Home and Away

Active member
Sep 18, 2018
145
If the reports are true and the pay is significantly higher than what he's on now, he will definitely go... anybody would. Weather, a lot more modern infrastructure, better pay (tax free), no english tabloid press to deal with, most likely easier job, etc.
 


Commander

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Apr 28, 2004
13,074
London
I think this will happen. Having listened to him on the High Performance podcast he is a man that likes a challenge. 10+ years with us is a long time and he’s achieved European football. Now having the chance to grow the Saudi league must be a real exciting prospect not to mention enough money to set up his kids and grandkids for life.
I think it's genuinely quite an attractive challenge, too. How much more can he achieve at Brighton? Regular European football? That's about it, surely? I can't see how things are going to get much better here. The Saudis seem very serious about creating a genuine rival to the European leagues in a place that is awash with money and can build and grow pretty much however they like. If they do achieve that it would be pretty amazing to be involved in it all right at the start.

It's different for players, they have short careers and I think ones that took the Saudi money rather than playing in the Premier League might look back later on their careers and think they missed out on the enjoyment of playing at the top level. But for a CEO? I'd definitely be strongly considering it, if it was me.
 








Flagship

Well-known member
Jan 15, 2018
424
Brighton
He's just sold his London flat. Not sure if that is relevant. It was on C4 last night -
Britain's Most Expensive Property.
 


Live by the sea

Well-known member
Oct 21, 2016
4,718
If the reports are true and the pay is significantly higher than what he's on now, he will definitely go... anybody would. Weather, a lot more modern infrastructure, better pay (tax free), no english tabloid press to deal with, most likely easier job, etc.
Weather is over 40 degrees in the summer . His head would get very sore !
 


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